Thousands of migrant workers from Bengal who work in other states and were at home to celebrate Eid al-fitr on Saturday are unsure if they should resturn to workplaces and come back to cast votes in the Assembly elections next month.
The labourers are in a fix because of the special intensive revision (SIR) of the voter list.
While a large number of migrants are preparing to return to their workplaces and come back home again to exercise their franchise, another section of the labourers has planned to stay back till the pollings gets over.
Another group of workers, whose names are in the “under adjudication” category on the “final” electoral list, is waiting for the supplementary list to check whether their names have been cleared, and will then make a decision as to whether to return to their workplaces.
There exists a fourth group, who have not turned up at their homes on Eid because of financial issues and are planning to come home to cast their votes.
Political observers said the ongoing SIR process and confusion over names on the electoral rolls were the key reasons behind the anxiety among the migrant workers.
“Even those who have their names on the preliminary ‘final’ list are anxious. There is a deep-rooted apprehension among them that if they do not vote this time, their names might get deleted. That is why they are exploring different options to ensure that they cast their votes,” said an observer.
In Malda, many migrant workers, most of whom are Muslims, said they prefered to remain without earning and stay back as they believed that casting votes in the Assembly election was important in the SIR context.
“Casting my vote would hardly give me any benefit, but I anticipate that we should cast our votes this time. Who knows, we would not be questioned for not casting the vote in the future and be branded as a non-Indian,” said Kadir Sheikh, a construction worker of Malda who works in Hyderabad.
“We cannot afford to migrate to other states to make earnings as the elections are ahead. Spending twice to come back home is a luxury for us. I came ahead of Eid and would return only after casting the vote,” said Uzir Ali of Harishchandrapur who works
in Rajasthan.
Some other migrant workers of Murshidabad have a different problem.
Saidul Sheikh of Hariharpara and Mobidul Sheikh of Domkal work in Odisha as a hawker and a construction worker in Kerala, respectively. Their names on the electoral roll are under adjudication.
“I am unsure of going back to my workplace as I have been put in this category in the electoral rolls. I am waiting for the supplementary list and would think of leaving home only if my name is there on the list,” said Saidul Sheikh.
Mobidul pointed out that if his name didn’t feature on the supplementary list, he would have to approach the tribunal to get themselves enrolled as voters.
In North Dinajpur, migrant workers who had come to celebrate Eid are in
confusion.
Nur Islam from Chopra works in Rajasthan.
“I want to vote this time, especially after the SIR process, to ensure that my name remains on the voter list. However, we work in private firms, and getting leave twice within a month is difficult. I will go back tomorrow and will have to take the leave,”
he said.
In Cooch Behar, the familiar rush of migrant workers returning home for Eid was notably missing this year. Instead of the usual festive homecoming, uncertainty surrounding the voter verification process and rising travel costs have kept many workers away.
Abdullah Sheikh, a 26-year-old youth from Mashaldanga, a former Bangladeshi enclave in the district, which is now an Indian village, is currently working in Delhi.
“Around 40 of us from a former Bangladeshi enclave work here. This time, no one has gone home for Eid. We are all planning to return together during the elections,” he said over the phone.
Additional reporting by our Raiganj and Cooch Behar correspondents